FLIBS: the 7 largest yachts going to Fort Lauderdale

In March, 2018 YachtHarbour reported that Indian Empress confiscated in Malta for unpaid wages. In June, Indian Empress was sold to pay off debts. Later in Jule, auction of the Indian Empress was failed and the court decided that Indian Empress should be re-auctioned. In September, 2018 she was sold for €35 million. After her sale at auction to Sea Beauty Yachting Limited, 95-metre superyacht Indian Empress has been renamed NEOM. Neom is a Saudi project for a smart and tourist cross-border city planned for construction and is located in the far north-west of Saudi Arabia.The previous owner purchased Indian Empress in 2006 for $113 million. Originally built in 2000 for a member of the royal Qatari family, the vessel has also been a very popular charter yacht. Indian Empress had a major €6.4 million refit in 2016, where the interior has swapped deep red and rich gold colours and ornate gilt-work and traditional carpets for contrasting woods, pale neutral colours and large impressive art.The yacht was abandoned by her owner in September 2017. Much of her owner’s assets in India and elsewhere have been either seized or frozen as he faced charges of money laundering and defrauding a consortium of Indian banks.

Oceanco's 109-meter Project Bravo was launched on 17 November 2018. She has naval architecture by Lateral Naval Architects, exterior design and layout by Nuvolari Lenard and Interior by Reymond Langton Design. She is the first Oceanco to utilise its innovative LIFE ( Lengthened, Innovative, Fuel-efficient, Eco-friendly) design. LIFE revolves around intelligent naval architecture that leverages a number of fundamental principles, which create a harmonious balance between weight, power, technical areas and luxury interior on board. Bravo embodies Oceanco's expertise in building large complex yachts, whereby project management proficiency played an integral part in Bravo's success, "A bespoke project of such magnitude and splendor will always present interesting challenges and opportunities" says owner's representative, Burgess. "With Project Bravo we created a truly spectacular yacht whose excellence is a clear reflection of the commitment of a dynamic and professional project team". After the innovations introduced with "Alfa Nero", Oceanco Asked us to "raise the bar" and create another remarkable and revolutionary design, says Dan Lenard, senior partner at Nuvolari-Lenard. "Our approach with Bravo was to maintain a stunningly sleek profile without sacrificing any interior space. This new exterior style concept is bound to create a new design stream. It is important to us that we started this new stream together with Oceanco" The yacht's elegant contemporary interior compliments the exterior design, Pascale Raymond, partner in Reymond Langton Design says, "We worked with artisans and craftsmen to create bespoke artworks, fabrics and signature furniture pieces that all combine to create a warm, inviting environment on board for the Owner's family and guests."

Morley Yachts, the Mediterranean yacht broker based in Monaco, is pleased to announce the addition of motor yacht St David to its Central Agency charter fleet. The yacht is now available for charter this winter in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives and the Seychelles from New Year’s Eve 2018, and is open to potential charter itineraries in destinations such as Zanzibar, Sri Lanka or even Dubai from February 2019.The custom-built, tri-deck Benetti motor yacht St David was recently sold to a European buyer introduced by Morley Yachts, David Jakabovic and has now joined the brokerage’s Central Agency fleet. The 60m yacht was launched in 2008 and underwent a full refit in 2017. Both the interior and exterior was designed by Andrew Winch and she can accommodate 12 guests in six staterooms, including a split-level Master Suite and VIP Suite.The duplex Master Suite has an office, a sitting room, a huge bathroom, and stairways leading up to the master bedroom with its ornately carved bed and panoramic windows. At the touch of a button, the hand-painted ceiling slides apart to reveal a skylight above the bed.Before steaming the Indian Ocean, St David is receiving another multi-million dollar refit. It includes a new chase boat, Bimini material, TVs and a projector, satellite antenna and the replacement of certain decorative features.The multi-talented crew will include a massage therapist, watersports instructors and a chef. Guests aboard St David will be able to employ a Dive Butler service offering local knowledge of the best dive sites.Morley Yachts’ contacts with the Ministry of Tourism in the Seychelles enables charter guests to have unprecedented access to national parks and reserves. Itinerary ideas will be shared with anybody interested in chartering in places that are still off the beaten track as far as yachting is concerned.St David was designed to be enjoyed in the company of friends and her features include:● Generous deck areas, including a sun deck with one of the largest freshwater hot tubs on any 60m yacht● All Cabins excluding the Master are convertible to Twin or Double● Cinema (movies can be enjoyed from the jacuzzi and the bar and seating area, thanks to a semi-translucent screen offering viewing from two sides)● Gym ● Massage room● Private nightclub● Professional SCUBA diving equipment, used on diving excursions led by the yacht’s very own onboard SCUBA diving instructor. ● A collection of tenders and toys to appeal to all charter guests, ranging from snorkelling equipment and fishing rods to the latest watertoys such as SeaBobs and a Wave Runner.Her elegant wood-panelled interior, inspired by the grand residences of the Italian Riviera, provides opportunities for guests to enjoy both formal occasions and relaxed, intimate gatherings. The yacht’s professional crew of 15, led by Captain Jean-Marc Bitouzet, have played a significant role in her impressive charter reputation.

Heesen is proud to announce that on Saturday 10 November 2018, the hull and superstructure of YN 19150 Project Electra were joined together at the facility in Oss.Electra is the second in the 50 metre 5000 class, which features an FDHF hull and hybrid propulsion. 
Based on the success of her award-winning predecessor - YN 17850 Home - Project Electra marries performance and efficiency by using the slippery Fast Displacement Hull Form with Heesen’s innovative hybrid solution, which combines diesel and electric propulsion.It is indicative of a core strength of Heesen, which offers progressive solutions and smart technologies to the market in new products while being able to draw on its financial strength to bring those products to market as spec builds. It is a ‘hybrid’ business methodology that offers the possibility of reduced build times and economic savings for clients while delivering cutting edge systems and full-custom options.Compared to a traditional diesel engine arrangement, the hybrid power and propulsion system is quieter and more fuel efficient. In addition, it offers cost-reducing benefits and flexible power management, as the yacht can be operated in four different cruising modes: • Hybrid mode: up to 9 knots at noise levels of just 46dB, equivalent to soft rain! Two water-cooled DC electric shaft motors of 127kW each quietly power the yacht. The benefits are silent cruising and higher manoeuvrability in close quarters.• Economic Mode: 9-12 knots with main engines on and generators off. Ideal for longer passages, the economic mode comes with few interesting perks – frugal fuel consumption (at 12 knots the yacht burns just 98 litres per hour) and extended generator service life.• Cruising Mode: 12-15 knots. This is the traditional mode, where the diesel engines drive the yacht’s propellers and the generators provide the hotel load.• Boost Mode: to achieve the max speed 16.3 knots, the generator-powered shaft motors are brought into service alongside the main engines to give an extra kick of power.Electra’s technological heart is wrapped in a contemporary design package that comes in just below the 500GT threshold. Frank Laupman of Omega Architects created a bold exterior design where aesthetics meet functionality. The vertical bow with spray rails is not only on-trend, it also serves a practical purpose by providing progressive buoyancy when carving through waves. The bow shape also means the crew accommodation can be set further forward. Twelve guests are accommodated in five lower deck suites and a master stateroom located on the main deck forward. The interior design is by Cristiano Gatto, whose décor integrates organic shapes and emphasizes the indoor-outdoor connection with deep and low furniture, allowing the guests to fully enjoy the panoramic vistas from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Project Electra is available for delivery in April 2020.

The choice to invest in Research & Development has once again rewarded Ferretti Group and its commitment to innovation. Further evidence came last night, November 13th, at the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam, where Ferretti Group received a major recognition from the jury of the Boat Builder Awards, a prestigious event organised by METSTRADE and IBI magazine.Specifically, the Boat Builder Award in the category “Collaborative Solution Between A Superyacht Builder and Its Supply Chain Partner” went to the innovative lounge door on Custom Line 120’, designed by the Ferretti Group Engineering Department in collaboration with Francesco Paszkowski Design studio and developed in conjunction with Mecaer Aviation Group, an important player in the aerospace industry.The invention is an innovative glass door that breaks new ground in the nautical world, with undeniable benefits in terms of both practicality and aesthetic appeal. The door, installed at a 45° angle, can either open traditionally with the two panels sliding sideways, or exploit a tilting mechanism to rotate upwards and disappear into the ceiling. Both operations are performed by electric motors, with the tilting rotation made possible by twin worm gears. The system also includes a non-reversible gear motor that ensures safe operation in the event of electrical failures. Through this high tech mechanism, the tilting door creates a continuity between the cockpit and lounge areas, forming a single environment of over 80 square meters.“Innovation is a door to the future, and in this case it is literally a door: the innovative glass door designed for the new Custom Line 120’. This accolade rewards our Group's significant investments in Research & Development, an area of the yacht-building industry which could be defined as the search for new levels of comfort and the development of solutions capable of improving the on-board experience” said Ferretti Group CEO Alberto Galassi. “There isn’t a single investment in R&D that wasn’t rewarded in the form of customer satisfaction.”